Of Thorns and Thieves
by No one of interest
Summary: "I don't know how I didn't see this coming, what with my luck. Out of all of the people at camp, I get stuck with him as my partner. I just hope this all ends soon. I mean, how hard is it to convince two teenagers that they're children of ancient Greek gods? It's just a simple retrieval mission, after all... There's just one problem: Stoll has a tendency to muck up simple."
1. Chapter One: Molucella

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.**

**For the purpose of this story, the events in Heroes of Olympus did not take place; it is set following The Last Olympian.**

Chapter One : Molucella

_The Big House_

I should have known that something like this would happen.

When Nina Porter was appointed as coordinator of retrieval of new demigods, she started a new program. The satyr population had taken a hard hit with the Battle of Manhattan, so Chiron had asked Nina to put together a list of volunteers who would befriend campers and bring them to Camp Half-Blood. Naturally, being the good person that I was, I signed up immediately, happy to help. I got the call a week and a half later.

"Miss Gardner, it's just a retrieval assignment," Nina sighed, looking over her desk at me. "When you signed up to volunteer, it was a binding contract."

I crossed my arms, pouting. "Well, I didn't think I would be partnered with _him_. After all, it is a volunteer position."

"Sweetie, it's not a choice for him," Nina giggled, pushing back her black bangs from her face. "Chiron's making him do it because after he burned down the camp store, _you_ demanded he be punished. Remember?"

"No," I moaned, rubbing my temples. The prospect of spending an elongated amount of time with him was physically painful. "You're kidding me. Are you sure that there aren't enough satyrs to take this job?"

"Sorry," Nina shrugged, shuffling some papers. "You had best start packing. It'll be a long car ride. I'll send you the details later, but it's probably going to take you at least a month. Gain the trust of the two kids and all, you know. They're in North Carolina, it's a wonderful place. You should try to enjoy your time there."

"I'll make no promises," I sighed, tugging the end of my soft brown plait. I distracted myself by taking a quick account of my surroundings. Nina's room was quite different from the rest of the Big House; it lacked the animal prints favored by Mr. D, for one, which I viewed as a positive attribute. It was laid out so that Nina's wheelchair could access all areas easily as well; the main chunk of the room was devoted to the large mahogany desk that I was sitting in front of. The one thing hanging on the wall was a photograph of Nina from before the accident, laughing with her friends. Despite the years that had passed since then, Nina still seemed as youthful as she was then. Considering that her mother was the goddess of youth that was unsurprising, but still impressive.

"Should I tell Mr. Stoll, or would you like the pleasure?" Nina's smile twisted into a full blown grin.

"I'll have to pass," I shook my head, changing the topic. "Has Chiron returned yet? Am I supposed to talk to him before I leave?"

"It's not necessary. I'm the consult on these ventures, along with Grover," Nina explained. "All you need to worry about is setting your cabin up for your absence and reading through the folder to get an idea of where you're headed."

"Oh, right, I should probably do that," I nodded distractedly, standing to leave. "Thank you, Miss Porter."

"Good luck, sweetie. You'll definitely need it. David will handle your paperwork and explain things to you once I'm finished informing Travis."

* * *

_Cabin Four_

From the grass roof to the vines covering the walls, it was clear which goddess Cabin Four belonged to. Every time I see it, I get this warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. I took in a deep breath of the earthiness emanating from the cabin before stepping inside. Luckily, the person I was looking for was lounging on her bunk. "Miranda, I need to talk to you."

She blinked, looking up from the watering can she was polishing. Her dark blonde hair was piled in a simple bun atop her head, the flyways forming her trademark halo of hair. "Oh, bother. Is there more chocolate on the roof?"

"More? Wasn't that just the one time?" I queried, yanking my trunk out from under my bed. I ran my hands over the smooth oak, relishing the

"Yeah, yeah, just the once," Miranda cleared her throat hurriedly, shoving some stray locks out of her face. "What's up?"

"I got a retrieval assignment," I explained, walking over to our storage closet. We called it the storage closet because, clever people that we were, that was where we kept our storage containers; I easily spotted my emerald green suitcase, pulling it out from under the other luggage. "I'm going to be undercover for at least a month. Naturally, you'll be in charge."

Miranda sat down on my bunk, tucking her legs underneath her delicately. "Oh, that's awesome! Where are you going? When are you going? And who are you going with?"

I arched my eyebrow at her enthusiasm. "North Carolina, tomorrow, and in an unfortunate turn of events, Travis Stoll."

There was a moment of silence, followed by a guffaw from Miranda. "Chiron's splitting the Stolls?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure that they'll be just as pesky when separated."

"They're going to be lost puppy dogs. You realize this, right?" Miranda speculated, giggling.

"I've actually been trying not to dwell on it," I responded, neatly transferring my folded clothing to my suitcase. Unfortunately, the majority of my wardrobe was comprised of Camp Half-Blood t-shirts; all in all, I was left with seven different tops to pack, just enough to make it a week. "Again, my main point was that you will be in charge while I'm gone."

"Oh, right, right. Well, that's not really going to be that difficult, is it? I mean, there's only like five of us here for the school year, and that's including you and me," Miranda chattered breezily. "So that's not really an issue for me. Plus, Joe and Val go home after summer ends, so it'll be quiet anyways."

"… Very true." During the year, the only people that stay in Demeter's cabin, besides me, are Miranda, Della, Ryan, and Alec, the last three being some of the sweetest people I know.

"Oh, but you will IM me, won't you?" Miranda pouted, clutching my hand.

I smiled at her. "I wouldn't be able to survive if I didn't."

"I'm not sure you'll make it through even with my help."

"I'm sure it won't be entirely terrible… just mostly…"

* * *

_New Jersey Turnpike _

I rested my forehead against the cool glass of the window, watching the other cars zoom past. The day was overcast, adding to the gloom of the nine hour drive I was facing. I was twisting my ring around my finger idly, attempting to alleviate my boredom. The silver band did nothing to help; I was almost glad when he broke the heavy silence that lay between us.

"I told you, we should have flown," Travis reminded me, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel impatiently.

"Yeah, but we would have been screwed if there were any monsters. Especially flying ones, like Stymphalian birds," I pointed out, pausing before I admitted, "Although, this is painful."

"Are you talking about the drive or the company?" He questioned, his tone clearly showing that he was teasing.

"Currently, just the ride. You haven't said anything too stupid. Yet," I added, tucking a strand of hair behind an ear. "Since we're stuck here anyways, do you want to go over the files?" I had skimmed through the folder yesterday, but I knew that he had failed to do the same.

"Eh, I guess. But don't expect me to read anything," He warned, sparing a moment to glance at me before focusing on the road again.

"Um, I'm worried enough for my life as it is without adding in you being a distracted driver, so don't worry about that." I opened the glove compartment, pulling out the manila folder I had neatly stashed there the day before. Flipping it open, I rifled through the pages until I found the summary of the assignment. Luckily, the pages had been written in Ancient Greek, so I had no difficulties deciphering the words. "Okay, the two demigods are named Beatrice Smith and Nathan Breton. We'll be going to Silverton High, and we're expected to integrate ourselves into the school system with extracurriculars and all. How bad is your dyslexia?"

"Not too bad. Stress screws with my reading, and I can't read for a long time without wanting to throw something at the wall."

I nodded. That put us on about the same level then, although I had a feeling that Travis's biggest issue in school would not be his dyslexia. "Alrighty… Let's hope it doesn't come to that then."

"Anyways, you'll be staying with Craig Wilson. He's a son of Apollo who managed to survive until adulthood," I scanned the file for other pertinent information. "We're in the neighborhood. I'm staying with Julia Li. She's actually a mortal, but she's clearsighted."

"I'm impressed that Nina managed to convince not one, but two people into allowing monster attracting strangers to board with them," Travis commented. "I wouldn't have if I was in their position."

"I feel like if you somehow make it to your twenties alive, you feel obligated to try and help others to do the same," I posited. "After all, the vast majority of Greek demigods die in their teens.

"You always know how to end on a positive note."

"It's called realism, Stoll."

"Actually, I believe the term you're looking for is pessimism."

* * *

**Explanation of the premise will be up on my account page if you are still confused or would like further clarification.**

**For the purpose of this story, Katie is a year-round camper. (I think that all cabin counselors would be year round anyways, but I know there was confusion with her not being the TLH and all. . .)**

**Please review or PM me your thoughts.**

_Molucella (Bells of Ireland) :: Good luck _


	2. Chapter Two: Chickweed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.**

Chapter Two : Chickweed

_Sunny Creek_

"Okay, it's a right-hand turn."

Travis turned down the Queen album that he had blaring through the car. "Gardner, there's no right turn. What are you talking about?"

I smoothed down the map laid across my lap, trailing my finger along the lines. "I'm telling you in advance so you have time to prepare. You take the first right, and then it'll be a left."

He sighed, clearly exasperated with my planning ahead. "How about we stick with street names?"

"Turn right at Triplett Lane," I specified.

"Finally, you speak a language I can understand." Up ahead, a bronze sign set in white stones read SUNNY CREEK in block letters. The entrance to the neighborhood was framed with two oak trees, their bases surrounded by a carpet of wildflowers. There were three lines of townhomes set like a U surrounding a communal yard in the middle. The townhomes were all wrapped in an eggshell siding, the roofs sporting rows of black scallop tiles. Three kids were kicking around a soccer ball, with a mother watching protectively from one of the benches positioned against the bushes that framed the yard.

"This seems too peaceful for my taste," I narrowed my eyes. "A rural setting is ideal for us. It isolates us, so we can deal with monsters without having to bend the Mist too much."

"Townhomes don't offer much protection for noise either," Travis pointed out.

"There go your plans for raving parties then."

Travis ignored my jest and pulled the truck into a parking space, shutting off the engine. He changed the topic, asking, "We're not supposed to know each other, right?"

"That would be the preferred pretense, yes."

"Then why are we showing up here at the same time?" Travis questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Won't there be nosy neighbors and all?"

Katie chewed her bottom lip, mulling it over. "Let's just pretend we have a loose acquaintanceship. We know each other through Craig and Julia, since they're close."

"And the arriving at the same time in the same car part of this?"

"You picked me up from the airport as a favor to Craig," I hopped out of the truck and pulled out my bag, glancing distastefully at his. Unsurprisingly, the suitcase Travis had managed to scrounge up seemed to be permanently imbued with dirt and had a funky stench emanating from it.

"Wait, where am I supposed to go?"

"End unit right there, 195," I pointed to the unit closest to us. "I'm in the third unit in the middle row, in case you wanted to know."

He nodded, peeling off from my side. I kept walking, investigating the townhomes to try and see if I could find any deviations from the uniform appearance. The front doors of each unit were positioned so they were facing the parking lot, the centers sporting numbers emblazoned in silver against a burgundy background. My case skipped across the cracks in the concrete with a soft, rhythmic _click_. I turned right up the short pathway leading to Julia's home, passing by a small garden. The bellflowers seemed to perk up as I approached them; I don't think I can convey how much satisfaction that gives. I pressed the buzzer, contemplating my surroundings. The door was labeled prominently as 203, the silver clearly having recently been polished. I kept my left hand close to my leg, ready to snap out my knife if need be. Normally I preferred to use my bow, but I figured that a knife is more discreet in such a public setting.

A few moments passed before I heard the soft padding footsteps I was waiting for. The door cracked open, so I could see just a sliver of silky black hair matched with dark eyes. "May I help you?"

"I'm Katie. Katie Gardner," I tacked on my surname in a hurry, realizing that the clarification of the last name would be beneficial. "This is Julia Li's home, right?"

"Yes, yes! Ah, good! I'm Julia, it's a pleasure to meet you," The door swung in all the way, revealing the full form of Julia Li beckoning me to step inside. Immediately, I was welcomed by the smell of sizzling bacon. Julia hurried off down the hall, calling back, "I'm just preparing some green beans for dinner. We're going over to Craig's to eat, so we can talk details and all."

"Good plan," I scooted my bag so it was at the base of the stairway, just under a table that ran the length of the hall. I was standing in a foyer that was largely dominated by the staircase set slightly to the right of the entrance; I followed the hallway into the main living space of the home. In an effort to keep a flow throughout the room, the walls were all painted a uniform periwinkle color. A wraparound couch, slate grey in color, was tucked snugly in a corner with a television angled diagonally towards it. I felt myself light up when I saw the Wii perched prominently on the hutch; I have enjoyed my dabbling in the Nintendo gaming world.

"Ah, there we go," Julia came out of the kitchen into the dining room, cradling a yellow covered dish in her hands. She smiled at me, placing the dish on the glass table next to her so she could take off her apron and hang it on a hook just inside the kitchen. "You aren't a vegetarian, right? I'd imagine that children of Demeter may have a higher likelihood of pursuing a meatless diet…"

"No, it's alright, I'm not a vegetarian," I assured her. "I have a fondness for meat, as a matter of fact."

"Oh, good, that makes things much easier," Julia exhaled in relief, sliding open the glass doors behind her to the screened in porch, beckoning for me to follow her. I complied, picking up the dish and closing the door behind us.

"I really need to use this more," Julia mentioned distractedly, running her hand along a grill that took up the majority of the porch. "I make a mean steak."

"That's good to know."

"Right, onwards," She snapped back to attention, opening the screened door for me. "I usually end up eating with Craig most nights. It's easier to cook for two, so we usually coordinate dinners so we have someone to chat with."

"I don't blame you. It's weird trying to get the proportions right for a single serving… I've tried it before and failed quite spectacularly."

"Somehow, the seasoning is just so difficult to perfect in a small amount," Julia shook her head, changing the topic. She gestured to the big lawn that we were circling around. "Oh, you should probably try to minimize your monster slayings here in the commons, by the way. It might raise a few eyebrows."

"Considering that there are now three demigods here, I feel like I'm not exactly going to have a choice in deciding where to do the slaying."

"A fair point."

* * *

**Please leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the story so far. I would love to hear your opinions.**

_Chickweed :: Rendezvous _


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